Music Trade Review

Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
FEBRUARY 16,
1924
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
11
Making Window Displays Make Sales
How Some Retail Music Merchants Are Turning Their Display Windows Into Active Selling Forces in Their
Warerooms—The Striking Series of Window Displays Now Being Used by the Retail Wareroonia °f
Hardman, Peck & Co. in New York City and the Results They Bring ^****~
T
HE piano is a difficult product about
which to build a striking window display.
That is a statement which is unques-
tioned. But it does not mean, by any matter
of means, that it makes such an achievement an
impossibility. Too many retail rffusic merchants
have succeeded in overcoming this difficulty to
make this idea anything save absurdity. And
the results which are achieved by overcoming
these difficulties are so direct and represent such
a return upon the investment they require—
investment in time, ingenuity and money—that
there is no retail dealer, no matter how large
or how small his store may be, who can afford
to neglect them.
Let us see how some dealers do it. A strik-
ing example is the series of piano window dis-
plays which have been made for some time in
the show window of the retail store of Hard-
man, Peck & Co., in New York. This is a com-
paratively small window—it occupies a single
lot frontage—yet the displays which this con-
cern has made, some of which have already ap-
peared in The Review, have been the means of
many direct sales and are always sure of attract-
ing the attention of the passers-by.
A recent display by this house is shown with
this article. It is a good example of direct-sales
appeal by the window, showing the Hardman
piano in surroundings that are similar to many
in which it is ultimately placed by those who
purchase it. While the display was on view it
continually attracted a large number of people
and the instrument itself was sold almost di-
rectly from the window.
Hardman, Peck & Co. employ the services of
an outside consulting expert in planning their
window displays. In the case of the window
illustrated, the man who was responsible for it
was Piza Mendes, assisted by David Gaither.
His suggestion was to create within the window,
which would represent a music room in a home
of evident wealth and refinement, a proper set-
oak beams supporting the ceiling and giving the
effect of spaciousness. This is further enhanced
by the arched door and a stained-glass window.
Substantiality is given to the entire display by
or furniture store can present his instruments
in a handsome background, giving credit, of
course, for the settings loaned or the furniture
which the latter provides. He will experience
I IV
A Window Display of Hardman, Peck & Co., New York
the heavy wrought-iron strap hinges on the no difficulty in doing this, for either the dec-
door, especially built of heavy eight-inch lum- orator or the furniture man will be glad to
ber. The six-branched iron candlestick also co-operate for the extra publicity. This plan
carried out the central idea. The window was has been worked with success by a number of
remarkably well lit, the light being concentrated dealers, most of them having discovered in their
upon the instruments shown, so that the back- organizations some one person with sufficient
ground did not overwhelm them, a condition good taste and artistic feeling to plan the dis-
which sometimes takes place in well-planned plays.
window displays so far as other considerations
Another type of window display, featuring
are concerned.
the Brambach grand and made by the J. L.
This is an elaborate display, of course, and the Hudson Co., of Detroit, is also shown with this
smaller music dealer may consider that he can- article. This is a display which differs widely
from the former one, the piano itself being
presented before heavy drapery and the entire
attention of the passers-by being concentrated
on the instrument. It was an effective display,
tying up with a national campaign and with
heavy advertising in the local newspapers.
The window of every piano wareroom repre-
sents a certain investment and is part of the
overhead expense. Not to utilize it to its full
value is to create a steady waste. To use it
properly is to take full advantage of one of the
most direct means of selling at the command
of the retail music merchant.
Ghickering for Glee Clubs
It is announced that the Chickering piano
has been selected as the official instrument for
the Glee Club contest being conducted by clubs
representing various major colleges and pre-
paratory schools. The elimination contest will
be held at Carnegie Hall on March 1.
Buys the Hillsboro Shop
J. L. Hudson Co. Features the Brambach
ting for such an instrument as the Hardman. not do the same thing, not having the facilities.
Besides the piano displayed, a Brunswick con- As a matter of fact, however, much can be done
sole model talking machine was also shown.
with the facilities at the command of the aver-
As can be seen from the illustration, the win- age store. A dealer in a smaller city who will
dow represents a corner of a room with heavy make an agreement with either a local decorator
HiLLSBORO, O., February 11.—The Hillsboro
Music Shop, owned by Walter H. Head, was
recently sold to J. E. Zimmerman, a dry goods
merchant of Bainbridge. Mr. Zimmerman will
take possession March 1. Mr. Head has not as
yet announced his plans for the future.
Consult the Universal Want Directory of
The Review. In it advertisements are inserted
free of charge for men who desire positions.